


To 8 15 12 4 You In My Arms Again

by liamgowl



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game), In the Flesh (TV)
Genre: Adorable Connor, Alternate Universe - Human, Bad Parent Amanda (Detroit: Become Human), Canon-Typical Violence, Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 & Upgraded Connor | RK900 are Siblings, Connor & CyberLife Tower Connor | RK800-60 are Twins, M/M, Minor Violence, Protective Upgraded Connor | RK900, Sibling Incest, Temporary Character Death, The Rising (In the Flesh)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-10-27 11:51:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,143
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20759909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/liamgowl/pseuds/liamgowl
Summary: His older brother rises from the grave, and along with him the feelings Richard have been repressing for God knows how long come back to life.





	To 8 15 12 4 You In My Arms Again

**Author's Note:**

> I fucking hate Amanda, Zen Garden and winter.  
Dedicated to mom and my favorite type of romantic relationship, aka 'incest'.

It's the middle of December, everyone is getting ready to celebrate Christmas or Hanukkah and New Year already. Richard Stern isn't celebrating any of those holidays, except maybe drinking in a bar with his coworker Gavin Reed as a New Year's celebration. His family wasn't very keen about celebrating holidays — especially Amanda, since she raised all three of them. Amanda is now long gone for good for almost five years, Conrad is off spending time with his boyfriend and his family and friends (_ — Are you gonna be okay if I leave for holidays? I know that we used to- — Go, Con, it's important for you, I understand. — Right. But if you need me, I'm just a call and probably a state away. _), and Connor has been dead for a year now.

It was hard for both Richard and Conrad, thinking about how fate just seemed to fuck the three of them over pretty often. Connor made plans to last him a lifetime, with Hank, with that Jericho organisation, with Chloe, with even Gavin, and of course with the two people he loved the most in the whole world. 

Connor died on the mission. He should've been more careful and not to just jump into the trouble. Medics couldn't restart his heart because there was nothing left from it. The man who killed Connor was caught and additionally beat up by Hank, but the weight from his death is still on Richard's shoulders, reminding him that he could never have what he wanted. What he _ craved _ with his whole being.

Conrad tried to get over his twin's death with the method he dealt with the rest of unpleasant emotions — bottling it all up and refusing to talk about it. At least he had Simon now, who practically forced him to behave like a functioning human and actually think and talk about things that bothered him. Hank, who practically thought of Connor as his son, was on the edge again, like the time he lost Cole. Connor gave the colors to Lieutenant's world since he came in as an officer at the DPD five years ago, forcing him to lead a semi-healthy lifestyle, go on walks at least one time of the week that led to Connor joining him and never actually breaking the habit, until his death. Gavin said that he hadn't seen Anderson in this good mood since before Cole died. Richard couldn't imagine how hard it is for Hank to lose both of his kids, even if Connor wasn't his biologically. Richard, much like Conrad, haven't really dealt with Connor's death. His stupid crush on his older brother didn't make this easier for him, and only brought more pain, leading into meltdowns at three A.M and a constant trembling of his hands.

Days seemed to go by slowly, reminding Richard about his dead brother every single minute of his life that he was destined to spend without him. The holidays that creeped closer with each day only brought up the memories of how Connor planned all of them since Amanda died, making sure it was perfect. Richard always looked forward to them because it would mean he'd get even more attention from his older brother and he'll get to see Connor's genuine wide smile. Now his heart ached whenever he came across all of the presents that Connor gave him and the fact that Rich and Conrad hasn't spent any of the holidays together, even if they promised that they would to Connor.

Connor wasn't here anymore, so what was the point anyway?

* * *

It was midnight of December 15th, wind howling and thrashing the naked trees, snow pelting down with huge force onto the ground. And, unfortunately, on Richard, who got out of his apartment to have a smoke, even if he promised Connor to stop smoking (Conrad didn't really care and said that ‘Richie’ is old enough to look after himself). It was too empty in his apartment, partially because he didn't bother to decorate it even before Connor died, no matter how the older one tried to convince him to even buy a rug or this painting or that statue. Cold wind always got Richard on the edge, as well as winter itself, hell knows why he's still in Detroit where it snows every year. He could move to the Texas, or Florida, somewhere where he would rarely feel the cold creeping its way up his body, devouring him whole. 

Suddenly, he could hear somebody screaming from not so far from him, and a gunshot. “_ Well, shit, _ ” Richard thought as he dialed the 991 and ran up to his apartment to get the gun Fowler allowed him to keep for his vacation. The 991 line was surprisingly busy, leaving Richard with the cheery elevator music and his number in line — _ one hundred nineteen, holy shit _. He kept his gun locked away in one of the boxes in his closet, knocking over his clothes, but not really caring about that right now despite his OCD that he pushed away to protect civilians from a possible threat. 

The streets were crowded when he came out with his gun in defence position, people bumping into each other and some sobbing or screaming, trying to get to the safe place sooner than the others. Richard was trained for these kind of situations, so he got everybody's attention (by firing his gun because why not? although his ex-mentor wouldn't be pleased that he is scaring the crowd more) and arranged them, going out to investigate what scared everyone. As he got out, he saw a man in shredded clothes and half of his face missing, making gurgling sounds and dashing to Richard when he noticed him. The man seemed like he was dead for a while, and it wasn't Halloween anymore, so Rich shot him in both legs, slowing him down considerably. Now he could hear more animal-like sounds and gurgling all around him as the man stubbornly crawled to him.

Richard could hear police cars blasting their sirens loudly, not even bothering half-dead crowd of people. More gunshots could be heard along with him firing at ones that came way too close to him. One of the policemen led him closer to safety while he kept the distance between them and _ them _.

* * *

Richard couldn't believe that the zombie apocalypse began and that he was firing at long dead people yesterday. It's December 16th and more and more people kept rising from their graves, but the only ones that died within a year or so. It isn't safe anymore to go out on the streets without a gun or an android to protect yourself. Richard isn't a fan of slavery, so he lurked in the shadows with his gun. He got to the DPD station and forced Fowler to let him help with the rising of the dead. 

Fowler doesn't have much of a choice, really, as most of the officers are spending time with their family or on the other cases. With that, Officer Stern was assigned with cases involving repressing the Risen Ones.

* * *

Several months in, RTN Corp developed a sort of a cure for Risen, that repressed parts of the brain that made them aggressive and to want for human flesh, and focused on getting their memories back and healing damaged nerves faster. With that, in February there were left only the ones who ran away or the ones who weren't caught in time. Richard was assigned to his usual work by the end of January, and was happy to get back to it instead of seeing half-dead people devouring other people.

Conrad called right after Richard was assigned to the Risen cases to make sure his little brother was okay. He is, of course, okay. Conrad's boyfriend is a little shaken, though, as his twin brother Daniel rose from his grave, but didn't make it to the clinic to get treated, and was shot by someone in the woods. 

Risen Ones began to get normal treatment, similar to alive humans, with some aspects, surprisingly fast. Was it that Major's mother rose from her grave that impacted her decision? Maybe. And, as it always is, there are some people who think that they should've just killed all of those who Rose again, even at the PD. Usually they organised meetings in church or something like that and walked on the streets with humiliating signs and sometimes they were killing the cured ones. Someone other than Stern was assigned to those cases.

Gavin, of course, is one of those who called themselves Human Volunteer Force that originated from Roarton and was passed to the small cities. Richard ignored Reed's speeches about how _ the ones who died should stay dead _.

Risen Ones were now called Partially Deceased Syndrome's victims, as of the 2nd of February. On February 3rd CyberLife, the very one who is building androids, offered help to the PDS victims, replacing their organs and/or body parts.

On February 5th the letter was delivered to Richard Stern, stating that one of his relatives have Risen from their grave and RTN Corp needed to know if he wanted to care for them by himself or not. If he wanted to, he could pick them up at one of their bases/clinics in Detroit at 8.30 AM, on February 6th. There was an attachment to the letter of _ Connor _ with his human make-up. 

_ Connor is alive, even if partially. _

* * *

The drive to one of the RTN Corp's base, which address was stated in the letter, was half an hour long. Richard woke up around six and have been jumpy from nerves since then, and almost forgot to call in a paid free day to sort things out. He left way early than he inteded and ended up being escorted into the facility by armed guards into the hallway on the first floor where he supposed to wait along with several other people on uncomfortable plastic chairs. One of the guards handed him the papers to fill out if he intended to live together with Connor. He filled them without hesitation. 

When the clock on Richard's wrist struck 8.29 AM, he suddenly realised that he never called Conrad about this whole ordeal, and he doubted that Conrad sorts his mail _ ever _. 

_ Oh well, _ he thought as the double doors opened to reveal PDS victims in make-up and normal clothes, instead of white gowns the rest of them wore. Richard immediately spotted him: standing off to the side and fiddling with the coin, although not the one he was usually fiddling with before his death. Connor was nervously looking across the room, his hands shaking a little when Richard tapped him gently on his shoulder.

“Lost something, brother?”

Connor's nervous expression was immediately replaced with a big cheery smile Richard missed so much. “Richie!” 

Connor's body was significantly cooler now, as Richard held his long lost brother, something whirring softly where their chests were connected. Although, Richard haven't let go and only squeezed more tightly, tears rushing to his eyes. Connor almost never saw his little brother cry, apart from several occasions when they were kids, so he was surprised to feel something dampen his uncovered neck. When they pulled apart, Connor placed his hands on both of his brother's cheeks, wiping away tear tracks gently, looking into Richard's pale blue eyes with his own brown that were obviously fake, making Richard's heart stutter.

Rich cleared his throat awkwardly, tearing his gaze away from his brother and covering his hands with his own, “Sorry, I just- It's good to see you. Here.” _ With me _ left unsaid.

Con chuckled, “Yeah, I'm sorry too, about the whole dying thing.”

Richard shook his head affectionately, pulling their intertwined hands down, “That was pretty asshole-ish of you. Conrad is gonna kill both of us.”

He raised his brow with a slight strain in his muscles, “Why? I mean, I get it if he wants to kill me again, but why you?”

Richard led Connor along the halls into the parking lot, not letting go of his hand, “I kind of forgot to tell him that you're alive now and that I was going to pick you up.”

His older brother laughed — _ oh God, he haven't heard him laugh in so unbelievably long _ — and leaned into him, so that their shoulders were brushing now. “You are dead, Nines. Con is going to destroy you.”

The childhood nickname made his stomach clench in affection, and a gentle smile made its way onto his lips. As they got into the car, Connor hesitantly looked around with a faltering smile, “It's all so… weird. It's like I have never left, but at the same time like I've been away for a decade.”

Richard nodded, started his car and squeezed Con's hand.


End file.
